The present invention relates to a method of assembling and filling a fluid dispenser device, and it applies more particularly to dispenser devices containing an active substance mixed with or dissolved in a propellant.
A dispenser device for dispensing a fluid substance including a propellant generally comprises a receptacle containing both the substance to be dispensed and the propellant, and a dispenser member such as a metering valve mounted on said receptacle and suitable for selectively dispensing the substance contained therein. Between the metering valve and the receptacle, and inside said valve, sealing gaskets seal the device so as to prevent any leakage of the substance and/or of the propellant.
The usual method of assembling and filling such a dispenser device consists in fixing the valve to the receptacle, in particular by crimping, in filling the receptacle with the substance to be dispensed and with the propellant, and then in storing the assembled and filled device for a determined duration in order to identify any devices that have sealing defects such as leaks.
That method suffers from certain drawbacks. Firstly, the checking for sealing defects is performed on devices that are full of the substance to be dispensed. If a leak is detected, the device in question is discarded so that the active substance that it contains is also lost. That can be a major drawback when the substance is expensive, which applies in particular to certain pharmaceuticals. Similarly, storing devices filled with the substance can pose cost problems because a device that has a high value is xe2x80x9ctied upxe2x80x9d. In addition, it is frequent for the manufacturer of the device to be different from the manufacturer of the active substance to be dispensed by the dispenser. In which case, the manufacturer of the metering valve delivers its valves to its customer who must then perform all of the remaining steps of the assembling and filling method. In which case, the manufacturer of the substance must have access to the tools appropriate for assembling the device and to the means for storing the devices and for checking them after the storage period.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling and filling a dispenser device for dispensing a fluid substance including a propellant, which method does not suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an assembling and filling method that is less costly to perform and that increases the efficiency of the line for filling the devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an assembling and filling method in which a large proportion of the method, in particular assembly, leak testing, and quality control, is performed on the site of the manufacturer of the dispenser device.